6th Regional Interfaith Dialogue

The sixth Regional Interfaith Dialogue was held in Semarang, Indonesia, from 12-15 March 2012 and involved the participation of religious leaders, civil society, academia and media. Read more here

Interfaith and Women

Regional Interfaith Dialogues have affirmed the increase of gender diversity in Interfaith activities. The work of women in sharing, participation, humanitarian initiatives, development and peace-building is expanding. Read more here

Interfaith and Humanitarian Issues

Regional Interfaith Dialogues promote development: "We ask that faith groups and civil society develop partnerships with each other and with governments to work for social and economic justice, minority empowerment and reconciliation among conflicting groups within society." Read more about Interfaith and Humanitarian issues here

Interfaith and Youth

Regional Interfaith Dialogue endorses further exchanges between people (e.g. young people, students, teachers, religious leaders, academics) of different faiths, within and between countries, and at the grassroots communal levels. Read more

Interfaith and The Arts

The arts have always been a powerful medium for bringing about more understanding, respect, and opening the hearts of people from diverse cultures. The arts may include: music, song, theatre, poetry, film, multimedia, dance, visual arts and many other forms. Read more

Interfaith and The Media

Interfaith practitioners recognise the impact of the media on public opinion and their critical relationship to peace and harmony, interfaith and intercultural understanding, nation building, social cohesion and social responsibility. Read more

Interfaith and Conflict Resolution

Interfaith and Grassroots Intitiatives

Promotion of Interfaith dialogue at the grassroots level serves as an instrument to promote sustainable livelihoods and community cohesiveness or unity, thus, becoming the basis of civil society to promote the democratization process. Read more about Interfaith and community initiatives here

Interfaith and Education

The Yogyakarta Regional Interfaith Dialogue stated, "We are of the view that the promotion of a culture of peace and acceptance based on relationships of justice should be promoted through education as a way to enrich dialogue." You can read more about Interfaith and Education here

7th Parliament of the World's Religions

Toronto will host the 7th Parliament of the World's Religions. Read more

Interfaith Calendar

Click the image to go to the Interfaith Calendar

World Interfaith Harmony Week

H.M. King Abdullah of Jordan took a decisive lead, formally proposing to the U.N. General Assembly the observance of a World Interfaith Harmony Week on September 23, 2010. You can read about the origins of World Interfaith Harmony Week here

Purpose

We, as leaders of faith communities, need to develop a more inclusive view of the religious other, to recognise the humanity of the religious other as a starting point. We need to recognise the essential equality of all human beings regardless of religious beliefs. We need to affirm the mutuality and interdependency of all people... We may need even to extend this and recognise that religious other may, just may, have at least some access to the Truth. We may need to accept that the religious others also adopts more or less the same set of essential universal ethical-moral principles we share; that the religious other has feelings of pain and pleasure just like us; that the religious other has similar expectations about their children and family and the preservation of life, property and security; and that the religious other has the same fears and anxieties about the world and the future, just like us.

Regional Interfaith Dialogue

Regional Interfaith Dialogue is jointly sponsored by Australia, together with Indonesia, the Philippines and New Zealand. In addition to the co-sponsoring countries, the eight remaining ASEAN countries also participate in the Dialogue, as well as East Timor, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

The Dialogue has been conducted on six occasions, most recently in Semerang, Indonesia, in March of 2012. The theme of the Semerang Dialogue was "Strengthening Collaborative Communities to Promote Regional Peace and Security: Interfaith in Action".